Signals
Amherst Town
Northampton
Opportunity
66 · Top 30%
vs70 · Top 23%
Climate
60 · Bottom 13%
vs60 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
38 · Bottom 3%
vs67 · Bottom 30%
Schools
76 · Top 18%
vs64 · Top 34%
Access
94 · Top 40%
vs98 · Top 15%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Amherst Town | Northampton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,182 | 30,962 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,968 | $80,288 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,708 | $50,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,382/sq mi | 904/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $484,900 | $429,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,671 | $1,439 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.2% | 57.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.6% | 62.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.7% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.2" | 45.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 21.4 | 41.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.12 | 10.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.2% | 28.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 53.0% | 51.2% | 2019-20 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Amherst Town
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Northampton
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
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Amherst Town
63
Your Score
—
Area Score
Northampton
67
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Amherst Town, MA · Northampton, MA · How this is calculated: methodology